Charging of coal, coke, and other solid materials into storage chambers and the like



CHARGING OF COAL, COKE, AND OTHER SOLID MATERIALS INTO STORAGE CHAMBERS AND THE LIKE Filed. June 12, 1933 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Nov. 27, 1934. G, BLACKWELL 1,982,413

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f. g kwel/ 1,982,413 AND OTHER SOLID MATERIALS E. G. BLACKWELL COKE,

4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Fig.4

Nov. 27, 1934. CHARGING OF COAL,

INTO STORAGE CHAMBERS AND THE LIKE I Filed June 12,

C f h n J hflfi Y 1 DO. IV g \1 iv an \VA\\\ ul l l l lnri k C Nov. 27, 1934. E. e. BLACKWELL 1,982,413

CHARGING 0F COAL, COKE, AND OTHER SOLID MATERIALS INTO STORAGE CHAMBERS AND THE LIKE Filed June 12, 1953 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 Iv ve/u-roR Nov. 27, 1934. 5 BLACKWELL 1,982,413

CHARGING OF COAL, COKE, AND OTHER SOLID MATERIALS INTO STORAGE CHAMBERS AND THE LIKE Filed June 12, 1933 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 h Fig.10 b A A Y q b Fig-.12

Patented Nov. 27, 1934 CHARGING F COAL, COKE, AND OTHER SOLID MATERIALS INTO STORAGE CHAM- BERS AND THE LIKE Edwin George Blackwell, Worcester, England Application June 12, 1933, Serial No. 675,476 In Great Britain June 23, 1932 Claims. (01. 19332) This invention relates to the charging of coal, end forms another V with the base of the hopper. coke and other solid substances into storage Preferably the side edges of the plate are tapered chambers, hoppers, bins and other like receptaso that the gap provided between either edge of cles, and has for its object to provide improved the plate and the adjacent side of the hopper is 5 means whereby the charging operations can be Wider at the bottom than at the top. The material carried out with a minimum of breakage or pulis fed into the upper V portion of the hopper in verization of the material. For this purpose it is any convenient manner, such as by means of a already known to arrange within a receptacle one tip wagon, or a conveyor. From here it flows as or a series of inclined chutes down which the maindicated by the arrows in Figure 2 around each 10 terial is caused to flow to avoid free falling and side of the plate e into the lower portion of the other conditions detrimental to the material. hopper, and thence it passes on to the chute b The present invention comprises the combinawhich is narrower than the hopper and is placed tion with one or each end of a delivery chute, centrally with respect thereto. i i of a control device whereby a slow intermittent The effect of the control hopper is to prevent. I

15 mass movement of the material down the de-- unimpeded flow of the material on to and down livery chute and into the storage receptacle is atthe chute. What actually occurs is that the matained. terial flows gently in a spiral manner from the Also the invention comprises the combinations upper V portion of the hopper to the lower V and arrangements of parts hereinafter described portion, and after reversal of direction it flows and claimed. spirally on to the chute and thence to the lower In the four accompanying sheets of explanacontrol hopper where similar controlled movetory drawings: ment takes place.

Figure 1 is a sectional side elevation, Figure 2 The material tends to accumulate on the chute a plan, and Figure 3 a part sectional front eleuntil sufficient material has gathered on it to pro- 25 vation of a hopper charging chute constructed in duce an avalanche effect, the mass of material on accordance with this invention. the chute then flowing slowly down it, leaving the Figure 4 is a perspective View of the chute. upper part clear and permitting continued flow Figure 5 is a sectional side elevation, and Figon to the chute from the upper hopper. I find ure 6 a sectional front elevation showing a modithat the desired avalanche effect is assisted by 30 fied form of chute, Figure 7 being a sectional providing the chute with tapered sides as shown plan and Figure 8 a cross section of the lower part in Figure 1, the depth of the sides diminishing toof the chute. wards the lower end of the chute.

Figure 9 is a perspective'view and Figure 10 a In the case of a deep storage chamber as shown, plan of a further modified form of chute. a plurality of chutes and control hoppers are 35 Figures 11, 12 and 13 are respectively sectional employed. In the figures illustrated two chutes side elevation, front elevation and plan of a still and control hoppers are shown, the lower chute further modification. being indicated by i. The lower end of the chute Figure 14 shows in cross section a modified form b then delivers the material into the second conof chute. trol hopper g at the upper end of the chute j v In applying the invention as shown in Figures This lower control hopper is essentially similar 1-4 to the charging of coal, coke or the like into to the upper one. It has a V shaped base, and a storage chamber a from the lower end of which an inclined midieather plate h (which latter may the material can be withdrawn as required, I arbe formed by the lower end of the base of the r n e at he pp r n of the chamber, a chuteb chute b). After leaving the plate h the material having tapered sides 0, which form with the base passes around each of its sides into the lower V of the chute a channel of gradually dimininishportion of the hopper and thence on to the cening d p hiS ute h s its S des arranged at trally arranged lower chute f. The action of the right angles to the base, but if desired the sides lower control hopper and chute is the same as may be inclined to the base as shown in Figure that of the upper hopper and chute. The plate h 4. t t pp d of the Chute is arranged a in addition to forming the partition of the control fl w n l d v T consists f a hopper d hopper also serves another important function. whi h s p at its pp side a d wh has a It will be noticedthat it is inclined at a steeper v-shap d bas Wi in th s pp is pla d an angle than the chute b which supplies it with mainclined m at p e 6 which at its IOWBI terial. By reason of this inclination risk of choking of the chute b by material lodging on it is minimized, as the steepness of the plate It ensures free flow from the adjacent end of the chute, a feature which is also of importance when the receptacle is being discharged.

In some cases the chute 1 may be dispensed with, the hopper y then discharging at one side directly into the storage chamber. In another arrangement the upper chute b or both the upper and lower chutes b, 1 may be duplicated, one of the pairs of chutes b, J delivering to one side of the storage chamber and the other pair to the other side. The chutes I) would be oppositely inclined, and their upper ends could be arranged adjacent to each other, the two chutes being supplied irom the same upper control hopper.

The modification shown in Figures 5-8 is essentially similar to that above described, but in addition the lower part of the upper chute b is provided with a grid 2' to enable dirt or fine material passing down the chute b to be separated from the main mass of the material before it enters the lower control hopper. The fine material passing through the grid is collected by a chute 7' and is conducted away through a passage 70 provided in the hopper g to a discharge chute Z. The passage 7c is enclosed by an inverted V plate m. Material flowing down the chute b passes on to the ridge of the plate m and then down its opposite sides to the lower part of the hopper g.

The modified form of chute b and control hopper (1 shown in Figure 9 is also essentially similar to that shown in the upper part of Figure l, excepting that the plate e is arranged in contact with one side of the hopper so that material can flow around the other side only, and the lower V portion of the hopper is in line with the direction of the chute b. In other words the chute b is at right angles to the position in Figure l, and the material flows into the chute from one part only of the hopper.

As already mentioned, in the description of Figures 1-4, the material while flowing through the control hopper, moves with a spiral, or vortex like, motion. Whilst well regulated and satisfactory flow of the material has been obtained in apparatus constructed in the manner shown in Figures 1A or the modification shown in Figures 5-10, the spiral condition of motion may be accentuated, with possible advantage in some cases, by making the base of the control hopper to a spiral form. This is illustrated diagrammatically in Figures 11-13. The control hopper o is formed with rounded ends, each having its centre at a post p. Between the posts is arranged a partition plate (1, and behind this plate is arranged an in verted V shaped partition r. The floor of the hopper on each side of the posts p is made to a helical form. Material is fed from a conveyor s or other means on to a chute t, and from the chute it passes on to the ridge of the partition 1'. Here it is divided and caused to flow in opposite directions down the two inclined sides, of the partition on to the spiral floor of the hopper. After slowly moving around the ends of the hopper the mate rial passes on to the main chute b whence it is discharged either into another and similar control hopper, or directly into the storage chamber. This spiral form of control hopper may also be employed in the side-flow construction shown in Figures 9 and 10.

In a further modification I may make the upper control hopper d separate from the chute b, and mount it on a wheeled carriage so that it can be moved on rails or tracks from one storage chamber to another. This arrangement would avoid the need for providing a control hopper at the upper part of each of a battery of chambers which are required to be filled in succession, and so minimize initial cost.

With apparatus as above described, the conducting of material from the upper to the lower end and middle parts of a deep storage chamber can be readily, conveniently and expeditiously effected with a minimum of breakage or pulverization.

The invention is not limited to the examples above described as subordinate details can be varied to suit different requirements. Also the invention'may be used for charging grain and other similar materials into storage receptacles.

Having thus described my invention what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is 1. In means for charging coal, coke and other solid materials into storage chambers and the like, the combination with the upper end of a delivery chute, of a control hopper having its delivery part contiguous with the said upper end of the chute, and comprising an inclined part over which the material flows during its passage through the hopper to the chute, and flow-impeding means associated with the said inclined part at a position between the entry and delivery parts of the hopper for deflecting the material laterally without causing it to fall freely, substan- 1 tially as described.

2. In means for charging coal, coke and other solid materials into storage chambers and the like, the combination with a delivery chute, of a control device comprising a hopper, a pair of lower sides inclined towards each other forming a V open at the top, and a partition plate arranged in association with one of the said sides forming with it another V also open at the top, a passage being provided at least at one of the sides of the partition, and a delivery aperture leading to the chute being arranged at the side of the hopper adjacent to the lower V, substantially as described.

3. In means for charging coal, coke and other solid materials into' storage chambers and the like, the combination with a delivery chute of a control device in the form of a hopper having a partition therein and provided with a spiral base lying between the entry and delivery parts of the hopper, substantially as described.

4. In means for charging coal, coke and other solid materials into storage chambers and the like, the combination with a delivery chute, of a control device in the form of a hopper having an inverted V arranged at its entry side, an aperture for communicating with the chute at its delivery side, and a pair of spiral base parts lying between opposite sides of the said V and the delivery aperture, substantially as described.

5. In means for charging coal, coke and other solid materials into storage chambers as claimed in claim 1, a control hopper arranged at the lower end of the chute and having a flow-impeding partition forming a continuation of but arranged at a steeper angle than, the adjacent part of the chute, substantially as described.

EDWIN GEORGE BLACKXVELL. 

